Variable speed drive mechanism



May 5, 1959 G. A. GIANNUZZI VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE MECHANIEM Filed Sept.l0, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR GEORGE A. GIANNUZZI W ATTORNEY May 5,1959 G. A. GIANNUzzl VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE MECHANISM 4 SheetsSheet 2Filed S-ept.

May 5, 1959 G. A. GlANNUzzl VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE MECHANISM FiledA Sept.10,

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 l@ ...MUHPHHI /f 25 mim/ mz: \r om?? mz3. k\ \\E mwmz... D .l Il* \T I. m V 08m omm 8m 8N o9 om, om ov 0o -Index PointDisplacement May 5, 1959 G. A. GIANNUZZI 2,884,799

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE MECHANISM Filed Sept. l0, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4'2,884,799 VARIA-ABLE SPEED RIVE MECHANISM George A. Giannuzzi, Vestal,N.Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York,N.Y., a corporation of New York Application September 10, 1956, SerialNo. 608,806 12 claims. (Cl. 714-393) This invention relates to avariable speed drive mechanism and more particularly to a selectablevariable speed drive mechanism. Variable speed mechanisms intended toconvert a uniform rotational motion to accelerating, decelerating, orintermittent motion in general are well known; however, these mechanismsare limited in a facility for optionally selecting the type of motiondesired and producing the motion in accordance with the selection made.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide amechanism for translating uniform rotational motion into variable motionof a preselected type.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved drivemechanism whichis capable of modifying the position of a point within anotherwise constant point cycle machine without interrupting the machinecycle.

A specific object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanismwhich is capable of arresting the position of a point within a constantpoint cycle machine without interrupting the machine cycle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selective means formodifying modified constant rotary motion which becomes nonfunctional atthe time the constarrt rotary motion is modified to a static condition.

In machines employed for interpreting record cards or like documents, itis highly desirable to perform operations on the document beinginterpreted without interruption 'of the constant point cycle of themachine. Hence, particular application of this invention is readily seenas well as broad application of the invention in a vconstant point cyclemachine where it is desirable to :perform lcertain static operationswithout interruption of the machine cycle. It has been the practice ininterpreting record lcards to feed a record card into operationalposition by the use of skid rolls which feed the card against aregistration gate and lslip during the period of operation. The skidrolls operate at a speed higher than Pnormal speed for the machine andafter an operation is performed on "the card, the registration gate ismoved yor swung out of position to allow the 'skid rolls to feed thecard out of the operational zone to a pair of feed rolls operating atnormal speed. Objectionable features of this arrangement are that theskid rolls drive the card against the registration gate with suicientforce to cause damage to the edge olf the card. lf an attempt is made tohave the skid rolls feed the card with less `force against ltheregistration gate, it is possible that the card will never alignproperly against the registration gate. Further the use of skid rolls`is an impositive control overthe card whereas this invention haspositive control over the card at all times.

According to thisinvention, a particular zone is `selected `*for anoperation for all points `within a lportion of a machine cycle.

Y Accordingly, by acceleratingor decelerating a `point from the start ofa portion of the cycle to the `zone of operation and subsequent to theoperation States atnt:

accelerate or decelerate the point, type of motion involved will dependupon the `point being acted upon, so that the point at the end of thecycle will be again in time with the timing of the machine.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in thefollowingrdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which disclose, by way of examples, the principle of theinvention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applyingthat principle.

vIn the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the invention in cross-section;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the differential arm, gear sector, and camfollowers;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4 4;

Fig. 5 is a diagram of index point displacement with respect to degreesof rotation;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing an alternate arrangement forestablishing a drive to the output shaft, and;

Fig. 7 is an exploded isometric view of the device.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. l, a one-revolution per machine cycleinput shaft 10 rotatably mounted in a stationary frame member 11 carriesa rigidly attached gear 12 on its end opposite the end connected to apower source, not shown. The gear 12 is rotatably supported in a frame13 xed to the frame member 11 by suitable fastening means such as thescrew 14. A shaft 15, parallel to the shaft 10 and rotatably supportedby a bearing 16 in the frame 13 and a bearing 17 in a frame member 18,rotatably carries a gear 19 on bearings 20 and 21. The gear `19 isarranged along the shaft 15 to mesh with the gear l12 and has anintegral differential arm 22 having a T-shaped end 23 pivotally mountinga gear sector 27 intermediately by a pin 28. The gear sector 27 iscontained between the T portion 23 of the differential arm and a plate24 fastened to the T by screws 25 and 26 and recessed to accommodate thegear sector. The gear sector 27 has a cam follower 29 and 30 on eachendextending at right angles and disposed to follow a pair of encompassingcomplementary cams 31 and 32 coaxial with the shaft 15 and rigidlyattached to the frame 13 by a series of screws 33. The gear sector 27meshes with a gear 34 journaled on the shaft 15 by means of bearings 35and 36. The gear 34 also has an integral differential arm 37 whichpivotally carries `a gear sector 42 intermediately mounted by a pin 43.The end 39 of the differential arm 37 is T- shaped and a plate 3S isfastened to it by screws 40 and 41 to contain the gear sector 42. Camfollowers 44 and 45 on each end of `the `gear sector 42 extending atright angles therefrom are disposed to follow a pair of`encompassing'complementary cams 46 and 47, respectively, rotatablysuspended by a plurality of rollers 48 xed tothe frame 18. The cams 44and 45 are held in a complementary position by suitable fastening means49 or many be of integral construction. The cams 44 and 45 may berotated to any angular position by turning a knob, not shown, connectedto a shaft 50 journaled in the frame 18 having a gear y51 fixed theretowhich meshes with gear teeth 52 vformed `on the `periphery of thecomplementary cam 46. The gear sector 42 is in mesh with la gear 53secured to the shaft 15. An output gear 54 is also fixed to the shaft 15and disposed thereon to engage a Agear 55 fixed to an output shaft l56which is journaled Vinthe vframe'r11. Thecomplementary cams 31 and 32may be thought of .as master cams, since they are held in a fixedposition to relate their timing definitively tothe operational zone ofa` machine. The complementary cams 46 and 47 may be defined as secondarycams. The rise and fall of the master cams is such that no output willbe produced during the zone of operation. Further, the characteristicsof the variable speed drive mechanism are such that when the mastercams, as defined, effect no output, the secondary cams will produce nooutput, regardless of phase relationships between the master andsecondary cams, since there will be no input from the master cams to beacted upon by the secondary cams.

Assume a portion of a machine cycle is divided into twenty-five indexpoints or positions. The knob for rotating the shaft 50 would containtwenty-five index points so that any index point could be selected tocome into the zone of operation when the master cams will effect nooutput. This zone of operation is clearly seen in Fig. and lies between60 and 95.

In operation, the gear sector 27 is reciprocated during rotation of thedifferential arm 22 by the action of the cam followers 29 and 30 ridingon the contours of the master cams respectively. The gear sector 27being in mesh with the gear 34 will drive the gear 34 in accordance withthe modified rotational motion of the shaft or the output effected bythe master cams. The gear 34 drives the differential arm 37, the armbeing integral therewith, and as it does so, the gear sector 42 pivotedthereon is reciprocated as the cam followers 44 and 45 pursue thesecondary cams. The gear sector 42 consequently drives the meshing gear53 fixed to the shaft 15. The shaft rotates as the gear 53 is driven,thereby causing the output shaft 56 to be driven through the meshinggears 54 and 55.

In Fig. 5, point O represents the position for all index points at thestart of their change from normal constant speed operation ordisplacement to an accelerated speed or displacement and point Frepresents the position where all index points have returned to constantspeed or displacement operation. The differential gearing aforedescribedis arranged in a manner so that the effect of the master and secondarycams produce the desired results during a portion of the cycle betweenpoints O and F. For example, to bring index point 13 into the operatingzone, the secondary cams are angularly displaced by rotation of theselector knob so that the rise of the secondary cams is at 95, the riseof the master cams is at From position O index point 13 will accelerateso that by 60 the resultant peripheral displacement of the output shaft56 will be greater than normal for constant point rotation. Then from 60to 95 index point 13 will be in the zone of operation and since duringthis interval the output shaft 56 is stationary, the index point 13 willbe behind that of a corresponding index point in constant point cycle.The index point 13 will be accelerated from 95 to 164 at point D whereit will be at the speed but ahead of the corresponding index point in aconstant point cycle. This acceleration from 95 to 164 is effected bythe resultant outputs of both the master and secondary cams, thesecondary cams having been displaced to start at 95. Index point 13 willcontinue at the same speed to position E at which time it will bedecelerated to be in time with the corresponding constant point atposition F. This deceleration from point E to F is effected by the fallof the secondary cams.

When the rise of the secondary cams is in full phase with the mastercams, index point will be in the zone of operation at no output of themaster cams and when the fall of the secondary cams is in full phasewith the rise of the master cams, index point 1 will be in the zone ofoperation at no output of the master cams. Angular displacement of thesecondary cams other than the rise or fall being in full phase withmaster cams will cause index points intermediate of the index points 1and 25 to be in the zone of operation at no output of the master cams.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in theart, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is theintention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope ofthe following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising aone-revo-lution per machine cycle input shaft normally rotatable at aconstant speed, a rotatable output shaft, a first differential meansengaged with said input shaft to be driven thereby, a stationary meansfor acting upon said first differential means to modify in apredetermined manner the motion imparted by said in- -put shaft, asecond differential means engaged with said rst differential means to bedriven thereby and engaged with said output shaft, and a normallystationary means rotatable to selected positions for acting upon saidsecond differential means, to modify the motion imparted by said firstdifferential means.

2. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising aone-revolution per machine cycle input shaft normally rotatable at aconstant speed, a first gear sector connected to the input shaft, astationary means for acting upon said first gear sector to modify themotion imparted by said input shaft in a predetermined manner, arotatable means engaged with said first gear sector to receive themodified motion therefrom and to transmit the modified motion to asecond gear sector pivotally connected eccentrically thereto, a normallystationary means rotatable to selected positions for acting upon saidsecond gear sector to modify the motion imparted by said rotatable meansengaged with the first gear sector in a predetermined manner, and arotatable means engaged with said second gear sector to receive themodified motion therefrom and to transmit the modified motion to anoutput shaft connected coaxially thereto.

3. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising aone-revolution per machine cycle input shaft normally rotatable at aconstant speed, a control means operable for modifying the constantspeed of the input shaft to effect variable motion in a predeterminedmanner so that no motion will occur during a certain interval, anormally stationary control means rotatable to selected positions andoperable for modifying the motion effected by said control means in apredetermined manner, and an output shaft rotatable in a manner dictatedby said stationary and rotatable modifying means.

4. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising aone-revolution per machine cycle input shaft normally rotatable at aconstant speed, a means engaged with the input shaft for effectingdifferential motion, a stationary means for acting upon said meansengaged with the input shaft to modify the motion imparted by said inputshaft in a predetermined manner, a rotatable means engaged with saidmeans engaged with the input shaft, a means carried by said rotatablemeans for effecting differential motion, a normally stationary meansrotatable to selected positions for acting upon said means carried bysaid rotatable means for modifying in a predetermined manner the motionimparted by the rotatable means, and an output shaft engaged with themeans carried by the rotatable means for effecting differential motionto be rotated thereby.

5. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising aone-revolution per machine cycle input shaft normally rotatable at aconstant speed, a rotatable output shaft, a rst gear fixed to said inputshaft, a second gear engaged with said first gear and having a radiallyextending arm, a first gear sector provided with cam followers on eachend pivotally attached to the radially extending arm on said secondgear, a stationary cani encontpassing said cam followers and arranged toact thereon to modify the motion imparted by said input shaft as 'thecam followers follow the cam, a third gear engaged with said first gearsector to be driven thereby having a radially extending arm, a second`gear sector provided with cam followers on each end pivotally attachedto the radially extending arm on said third gear, a normally stationarycam rotatable to selectable positions encompassing said cam followers onthe second gear sector to act thereon to modify the motion imparted bysaid first gear sector, and a gear fixed to said output shaft engagedwith said second gear sector to be rotated thereby.

6. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism cornp'rising aone-revolution per machine cycle input shaft normally rotatable at aconstant speed, a first arm extending radially from said input shaft, afirst gear sector pivotally mounted on said first arm provided with acam follower on each end extending at right angles from the gear sectorand parallel to the axis of the input shaft, a stationary pair ofcomplementary cams encompassing said cam followers in a manner that eachcam follower on said first gear sector follows a cam to. modifythemotion imparted by said input shaft in a predetermined manner, a gearengaged with said first gear sector to be rotated thereby, a second armextending radially from said gear, a second gear sector pivotallymounted on said second arm provided with a cam follower on each endextending at right angles from the gear sector and parallel to saidinput shaft, a normally stationary pair of complementary cams rotatableto selectable positions encompassing said cam followers on the secondgear sector in a manner that each cam follower on said second gearsector follows a cam to modify the motion imparted by said first gearsector in a predetermined manner, and an output member engaged with saidsecond gear sector to be rotated thereby.

7. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising aone-revolution per machine cycle input shaft normally rotatable at aconstant speed, a gear fixed to said input shaft, a shaft parallel tosaid input shaft, a first gear journaled on said parallel shaft andarranged thereon to be in mesh with the gear on said input shaft, afirst arm extending radially from said first gear, a first gear sectorpivotally mounted on said first arm having a cam follower on each endextending at right angles from the gear sector and parallel to the axisof said input shaft, a stationary pair of complementary camsencompassing said cam followers in a manner that each cam follower onsaid first gear sector follows a cam to modify the motion imparted bysaid input shaft in a predetermined manner, a second gear journaled onsaid parallel shaft and arranged thereon to be in mesh with said firstgear sector, a second arm extending radially from said second gear, asecond gear sector pivotally mounted on said second arm having a camfollower on each end extending at right angles from the gear sector andparallel to the axis of the input shaft, a normally stationary pair ofcams rotatable to selectable positions encompassing said cam followerson the second gear sector in a manner that each cam follower on saidsecond gear sector follows a cam to modify the motion imparted by saidfirst gear sector in a predetermined manner, a gear fixed to saidparallel shaft and arranged thereon to be in mesh with said second gearsector to be rotated thereby, an output shaft parallel to said inputshaft, and a gear fixed to said output shaft and arranged thereon to bein mesh with said gear fixed to said parallel shaft.

8. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising aone-revolution per machine cycle input shaft normally rotatable at aconstant speed, a gear fixed to said input shaft, a shaft parallel tosaid input shaft, a first gear journaled on said parallel shaft andarranged thereon to be in mesh with the gear on said input shaft, afirst arm extending radially from said first gear, a first gear sectorpivotally mounted on said first arml having a cam follower on each endextending at right angles from the gear sector and parallel to the axisof said input shaft, a stationary pair of complementary camscncompassing said cam followers in a manner that each cani follower onsaid first gear sector follows a cam to modify the motion imparted bysaid input shaft in a predetermined manner, a second gear journaled onsaid parallel shaft and arranged thereon to be in mesh with said firstgear sector, a second arm extending radially from said second gear, asecond gear sector pivotally mounted on said second arm having a camfollower on each end extending at right angles to the gear sector andparallel to the axis of the input shaft, a normally stationary pair ofcams rotatable to selectable positions encompassing said cam followerson the second gear sector in a manner that each cam follower on saidsecond gear sector follows a cam to modify the motion imparted by saidfirst gear sector in a predetermined manner, a first gear fixed to saidparallel shaft and arranged thereon to be in mesh with lsai-d secondgear sector to be rotated thereby, a second gear xed to said parallelshaft, an output shaft parallel to said input shaft, and a gear fixed tosaid output shaft and arranged thereon to be in mesh with said secondgear fixed to said parallel shaft.

9. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism cornprising: a onerevolution per machine cycle input shaft rotatable at a constant speed,a rotatable output shaft, a first gear fixed to said input shaft, asecond gear engaged with said first gear and having a radially extendingarm, a first arm having opposite ends pivotally attached intermediatethe ends thereof at right angles to said arm, extending from said secondgear, a first gear sector attached to said first arm, cam followersattached on each end of `said first arm, a stationary cam disposed toact upon said cam followers attached to said first arm thereby modifyingthe motion imparted by said input shaft, a third gear engaged with saidfirst gear sector to be driven thereby and having a radially extendingarm, a second arm having opposite ends pivotally attached intermediatethe ends thereof at right angles to said arm extending from said thirdgear, a second gear sector attached to said second arm, cam followersattached on each end of said second arm, a normally stationary camrotatable to selected positions and disposed to act upon said camfollowers attached to said second arm to modify the motion imparted bysaid rst gear sector, and a gear fixed to said output shaft and engagedwith said second gear sector to be rotated thereby.

l0. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising: an inputshaft rotatable at constant speed, an arm extending radially from saidinput shaft, a rst arm having opposite ends pivotally attachedintermediate the ends thereof at right angles to said arm extending fromsaid input shaft, a first gear sector attached to said first arm, camfollowers attached on each end of said first arm, a stationary pair ofcomplementary cams disposed to act upon said cam followers in a mannerthat each cam follower follows a cam to modify the motion imparted bysaid input shaft in a predetermined manner, a first gear engaged withsaid first gear sector to be rotated thereby and having an arm radiallyextending therefrom, a second arm having opposite ends pivotallyattached intermediate the ends thereof at right angles to said armextending from said first gear, a second gear sector attached to saidsecond arm, cam followers attached on each end of said second arm, anormally stationary pair of complementary cams rotatable to selectedpositions and disposed to act upon latter said cam followers in a mannerthat each cam follower follows a cam to modify the motion imparted bysaid first gear in a predetermined manner, and an output member engagedwith said second gear sector to be rotated thereby.

l1. A selectable variable speed drive mechanism comprising: an inputshaft rotatable at constant speed, a `first gear fixed to said inputshaft, a shaft parallel to said input shaft, a second gear journaled onsaid parallel shaft and arranged thereon to be in mesh with said rstgear and having an arm extending radially therefrom, a iirst arm havingopposite ends attached intermediate the ends thereof at right angles tosaid arm extending from said second gear, a rst gear sector attached tosaid first arm, cam followers attached on each end of said rst arm, astationary pair of complementary cams disposed to act upon sai-d camfollowers ina manner that each arm follower follows a cam to modify in apredetermined manner the motion imparted by said input shaft, a thirdgear journaled on said parallel shaft and arranged thereon to be in meshwith said rst gear sector, and having an arm extending radiallytherefrom, a second arm having opposite ends attached intermediate ofthe ends thereof at right angles to said arm extending from said thirdgear, a second gear sector attached to said second arm, cam followersattached on each end of said second arm, a normally stationary pair ofcomplementary cams rotatable to selected positions disposed to act uponlatter said cam followers in a manner that each cam follower follows acam to predeterminately modify the motion imparted by said first gearsector, a fourth gear fixed to said parallel shaft and arranged thereonto be in mesh with said second gear sector to be rotated thereby, afifth gear fixed to said parallel shaft, an output shaft parallel toSaid input shaft, and a gear fixed to said output shaft to be in meshwith said fifth gear.

12. In a machine of constant cycle point operation having a selectedzone of operation, a selectable variable speed drive mechanismcomprising: a one revolution per machine cycle input shaft rotatable ata constant speed, means operably connected to said input shaft fortranslating said constant speed to variable speeds, stationary meansdisposed to act upon said means connected to said input shaft fordetermining the variable speeds translated, means operably connected tosaid translating means for modifying said variable speeds therebyfacilitating variable cycle point operation within the zone of opera-`tion and maintaining constant cycle point operation for the machine,normally stationary means angularly positionable and disposed to actupon said modifying means for effecting desired modication of thevariable speeds and an output shaft connected to be operated by saidmodifying means in a manner dictated by said means for effecting themodification.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,079,044 Foster Nov. 18, 1913 2,674,183 Bergman Apr. 6, 1954 FOREIGNPATENTS 699,477 Germany Nov. 29, 1940 713,843 Great Britain Aug. 18,1954

